For those unaware, The Peplowski Project (out May 15th, 2023) is saxophonist, composer and educator David Larsen’s dream team album.

Larsen explains, This project was a dream come true! I have always been a huge fan of straight-ahead jazz and the magical playing of Ken Peplowski. It was such a treat to spend time getting to know Ken and learning from the master. His ideas and direction helped bring the music to another level.

In planning the project with Ken, he suggested playing some great arrangements of Al Cohn compositions. Al Cohn was an incredibly popular arranger and composer in the 1950s, and David has always loved his music. Larsen furthers, My compositions on this album mirror Cohn’s style and are complemented by the standards. We really tried to capture the magic of the great Al Cohn/Zoot Sims quintet, which originally recorded many of these compositions.

1. All the Things You Are (7:55)
2. Black Nightgown (6:18)
3. Doodle Oodle (4:28)
4. He Who Getz the Last Laugh (4:56)
5. In a Sentimental Mood (6:15)
6. Into the Mild (6:20)
7. Jazz Line Blues (4:12)
8. Love Me or Leave Me (7:06)
9. On the Sunny Side of the Street (6:01)
10. Tenor for Dinner (5:28)
11. Two Funky People (4:24)

This innovative and masterfully engaging new album opens on the dreamy flight of fancy within All the Things You Are and the more dedicated fare of Black Nightgown and then comes the frenetically-charged Doodle Oodle, the low slung, finger-snapping delights of He Who Getz the Last Laugh and then we get the most luxurious of yearning throughout their heartfelt rendition of Duke Ellington’s In a Sentimental Mood.

Along next is one of my own personal favorites, the gently rambunctious Into the Mild and the vibrant whippersnapper Jazz Line Blues, and they are in turn backed by the astute coolness that runs through the Love Me or Leave Me, the Louis Armstrong classic On the Sunny Side of the Street, the recording rounding out on the joyous Tenor for Dinner, and then closes on the elegantly suave Two Funky People.

The Peplowski Project, featuring clarinetist Ken Peplowski, is a mix of jazz standards and three originals by David Larsen. It takes its inspiration from the great straight-ahead jazz albums of the 1950s with arrangements by the great Al Cohn.

The album was recorded in June of 2022 at the recording studio at Spokane Falls Community College. All with single takes with semi-isolation. The recording process was done with ribbon mics on the winds with condensers on the piano, bass, and drums.

David Larsen hopes you enjoy this album as much as he did planning, playing, and recording it. It’s a next step in his ever-growing discography of tasteful and swinging offerings guaranteed to hook your ear.

Official Website